Barcelona are considering rehiring former Champions League winning manager Luis Enrique in 2025, should Xavi Hernandez fail to extend his contract, reports in Spain claim.
Enrique led Barcelona to Champions League glory in 2014/15, in what was his first season in charge of the Catalan giants. He also won two La Liga titles and three successive Copa del Rey during his three-year tenure, also winning the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
The 54-year-old opted to leave Barcelona at the end of his contract in 2017 before taking on the Spanish national team job, and is currently in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.
Enrique tasted disappointment on Tuesday night as PSG were eliminated in the semi-finals of this season’s Champions League, but his work in the French capital – which saw his side knock out Barcelona in the last eight – has seemingly piqued the interest of his former employers.
Spanish publication SPORT state that one eye is being kept on Enrique as Barcelona make contingency plans in case Xavi, whose contract runs until the summer of 2025, does not stay on as head coach.
The legendary former midfielder was due to leave Barcelona at the end of the season after announcing in January that being the club’s boss was a “cruel, unpleasant” experience and a “terrible drain on your mental health.”
He also failed to rule out signing a contract extension at Barcelona, though it remains to be seen whether or not a new deal would be offered if the club fail to wrestle back their recently lost La Liga crown from Real Madrid.
Enrique’s contract at PSG also runs out next summer after he signed a two-year contract to replace Christophe Galtier in July 2023.
